Chickafinty ~ A Life in the Laundry

The results are in

Despite being fully vaccinated for everything that it is possible to get, Ladybug has whooping cough.  It is the most awful disease I have ever encountered.  Having to stand by and watch her struggle to breathe in the midst of a coughing fit, and hoping that she is not going to pass out from lack of oxygen is horrific, especially as there is nothing I can do other than to hold her close and wait for the fit to pass.  The coughing fits are so scary for her - not being able to breathe is just the worst. There's no treatment other than time, and antibiotics to prevent her passing it on to anyone else.

We're all in quarantine as Mister Bear's colleagues both have small babies under 1 year old and we cannot risk him passing it onto the colleagues and then onto the babies.

"Just because it's written down doesn't make it true"

This piece of advice was handed to me by my new doctor.  Of all the things he has said this is the one piece of advice/counsel that has stuck most firmly, and the bit to which I cling when piddling about on the internet.

Unfortunately the bit about being able to walk away and not be upset by something was very short-lived - about a month to be precise - and I'm back to being on tenterhooks on the internet.  This morning I read something that made me very angry indeed.  It was written by a person whose opinions always rub me up the wrong way.  (In fairness I suspect that my opinions make her feel likewise.)  As usual she was spouting off on a topic that has nothing to do with her, and is never likely to affect her.  I had to breathe deep and walk away.  It's her opinion.  I don't share her opinions - on anything - so today's pontifications were hardly a surprise.  It would be pointless to disagree.  So the best option is to simply walk away.  Again.

Me time

This afternoon all is quiet, except for the dishwasher.

The house is empty of Mister Bear, Chickabid, Ladybug and Gyspy Jane.  It's just me alone.  I can't remember the last time I had time to be alone and to do nothing in particular.

For months I've been at work on the supersecret project, my Organised Fidgeting*, but that was completed yesterday when I sat and crocheted like a madwoman.  I still have a blanket on the go for Chickabid, and one slightly less along for the Ladybug, but I am kind of all crocheted out for a little while.  Their blankets will keep until we're all together and catching up on stuff on the TiVo.  For the moment I am merely enjoying the silence and the freedom of having nothing in particular to do.

In a minute or two I'll sign off here and fetch the scrapbooking box.  I have a few layouts that need finishing touches, and I have a whole bunch of ideas from here to explore with scrappy things.  There's a box bursting with photos that need scrapping.  I have barely touched scrapbooking in about 3 years - too unwell to think about it - but now that life is on the improve I need to capitalise on this.

I see the dr this week about my new med protocol.  There are not words to thank him enough.  I have my life back, but a better life than I could have dreamed about.  In looking back I think I have been sick for most of my life, without knowing it.  At least since I was 18, and possibly longer.  It is not beyond the realm of possibility that a particular traumatic event that occured 30 years ago could have triggered the illness and that it has been undiagnosed at least that long.  Everything is different now and I am having to learn how to live a new life.  It's a bit tricky, espceially when long ingrained patterns of behaviour no longer occur.  All I can say to the doctor is "Thank you", but that doesn't seem adequate.

I also have to write about Maria's visit...I'm finding it hard to believe that the visit has come and gone.  We were looking forward to it for so long, and now it's in the past.  It was a wonderful 2 and a half days and I will be forever grateful for the chance to meet someone who is now a firmly entrenched part of our family.

Another day

I have woken this morning feeling...good. 

For most people this would hardly be an astonishing fact, but for this little ducky it is an achievement, and is most likely associated with the diagnosis I alluded to yesterday.  Please, may it continue ad infinitum, Amen (even if it does come in a little white box).

Today is going to be a loose ends day.  I have a few loose ends in the vicinity of the laundry, or to do with the laundry and once they are squared away, the canvas is blank and awaiting the 2011: The Year I Am Organised brush.

On a side note, when I use the word laundry here I am referring to the room, not the clothing washed in that room.  It seems in the US the word laundry is most often used to describe the dirty clothes waiting to be washed, or waiting to be dried, or folded or ironed, as in "I have a laod of dirty laundry to be dealt with", whereas we'd say "I have washing to be dealt with", or possibly "dirty washing".  Curious use of language here as washing is an action verb, but it's being used as a noun.  Hmm.  Love language and its twists and turns.

So, enough prevaricating on typepad, and onto the laund....I mean, washing.  And ironing.  And folding.

Coming to terms

Had a drs. appointment last Tuesday and was given a new (and very unexpected) diagnosis.  If you know me IRL in all probability you'll hear about it from me some time soon.  It's nothing to go into orbit over (and you'll be pleased to know it's not fatal), but it's something I'd rather speak to you about in person.  Once on the internet, always on the internet and all that jazz.

Anyways...the treatment schedule has changed a little and is playing havoc with my real life, so the online life has suffered a little.  Also, we're down to just 20 days before Maria arrives in Australia, so the Great Big Enormous List of Everything To Do Before Maria Comes is well underway.  I'll post some photos of the progress down that path.

Have done some blog rejigging and stuff, so if there's nothing here at Chickafinty, this is where I might be:

Loosely Classical - everything homeschooling

pugglecraft - everything craft and homemaking

Messie Lassie - a renewed attempt at getting everything under control, only this time I have a real shot at it...see opening paragraphs of this blog entry. 

Maria...don't have a fit at the long list on Messie Lassie...it's what *I* need to do to stay healthy and this would be happening even if you were not coming...trust me :)

Exhibit A: The Ironing Pile

I think this calls for a visit to the DVD store in order to get it all ironed without going mad.

 

 

Two for two

I wrote a couple of days ago about my foot and the problems that I've been having with my second (and third) toes.  The dr has prescribed Panadeine Forte to help with the pain.  Deals with the pin beauitfully, but completely wipes me out for a couple of hours at a go.  Right foot operating at about 65% capacity.

Than last night in hurrying to the car to get the kids to swimming, a stick rammed into my foot between the spaces in my sandal and gouged out about a centimetre of flesh.  Ouch!!  It stung like nothing on earth, but I had to get the kids to swimming so it got pushed to the back burner.  Which foot was it??  The left.

Great.

It was ok last night until Ladybaby wandered into our bed in the wee sma's and rested her head right on the sore spot on my foot.  Ouch! again.  I got to thinking, as you do at 4.30 in the morning, and it occurred to me that my last tetanus shot was in 1997.  Then I got to thinking, as you do, about tetanus.  I grabbed my phone - bless the man who invented the internet on mobile phones - and a quick search or two revealed the following pieces of information:

a)  tetanus is very serious

b) one out of every ten people that get tetanus will die

c)  a tetanus infection can result in months in hospital, sometimes on life support

d)  the most common source of tetanus infection is a penetrating wound where soil and wood fragments are present

Right. 

Penetrating wound -tick.

In the presence of soil - tick

With wood fragments present - tick.

Can anyone spell tetanus, boys and girls?

Went to the dr this morning and an examination of the foot revealed that not only was I need of a tetanus shot, but there were still wood fragments embedded in the wound which required removal with forceps.  If that sounds painful, then you are so right.  It was.

I'm sporting a dressing on the left foot, limping on the right foot, feeling pleasantly woozy and fuzzy from the effects of Panadeine Forte and it's Christmas in less than a week.

Could it get any better than this?

Health update

In brief as it is late, I am tired and I have 17 days until the Event of the Century.

My sense of taste has returned which is marvellous.  You know the whole "you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone" thing.

My foot, which I think I didn't mention the other day, is another matter.

About three weeks ago in attepmting to lift a 20kg bag of sand into a trolley at Bunnings, I stabbed my toes rather viciously into one of the pallets.  It hurt like the blazes and my third toe bled all over the place.  As I contrived to lock my keys in the car immediately afterwards, the event kind of got pushed to the backburner and I didn't really give it much thought, until walking started to become increasingly painful.  The second toe on the foot was very tender and having it pulled sideways (or trodden on - thanks Chickabid) absolutely killed.  The pain has been steadily increasing over the past couple of weeks so when I saw the Dr on Wednesday about the taste thing, I also mentioned my toe.  The bent one.  The one that looks to the right when all the other toes look straight ahead.

The dr sent me for an x-ray and it's not broken (thank goodness) but I have suffered a soft tissue injury to the cuboid something or other due to an avulsion injury.  No, I didn't understand it either.  The onyl cure it would seem is staying off the foot, like *taht* is going to happen.

The injury may or may not have been aggravated by wearing high heels two days in a row this week to the two parties mentioned in the previous blogpost.  May.  That may have been the reason for walking through IKEA in bare feet while carrying my shoes and it may also have been the reason why I spent part of the morning resting with my foot up.  Possibly.  Vanity, vanity all is vanity etc etc etc.

So.  Taste = ok.  Foot = not so ok.

And the Event Of The Century?  That little bit of information is coming soon.

How typical.

It's the first day of the holidays and I am sick.

Great.

Just great.

No school today

Both my little chickies are sick.  They've both got nasty coughs, he more so than she.  They are supposed to be snuggled up in their blankets on the lounges watching tv, but he's here beside me, moaning, groaning and "But I want to snuggle with you".

So this is me signing off on a blog post and wandering off to do the needful for a couple of sick little chickens.

 

I love my kids (and probably TMI)

Had a terrific day on Monday...started off on my list and rocked through the first eight items before the blah** set in.

Woke up just after midnight on Tuesday morning feeling distinctly nauseated.  Kept waking every 20 minutes or so making it the l-o-n-g-e-s-t night in Christendom, worried that I was going to be sick.  By 6am I was worried that I *wasn't* going to be sick.  By 6.30 that problem had resolved itself in the bath of all places as Mister Bear was occupying the other logical place.  Yes, I had a bucket, but when it all happened there was too much and too violent to be contained (I warned you that it might be TMI!)

Wandered wanly to the lounge - with the bucket - feeling horrible.  Everything ached.  My tummy felt yuck.  I wanted to go away somewhere and just die in the corner.  Mister Bear had to go to work and both kids were still asleep.

Chickabid woke up and came for a cuddle.  I told him that I was feeling sick.  He disappeared and returned with a blanket and a pillow and tucked me in on the lounge.  "I'm sorry you're sick, sweetie"  He sat by my head and said soothing things and cuddled and what not.  He was wonderful.

I had to leave the lounge in a hurry for Round 2.  Chickabid got so worried that he grabbed my mobile and rang Daddy to please come home cos Mummy is sick.  I reassured Daddy that I was fine - Mum and Dad were on their way - and discovered that Ladybaby was up as well.  Ladybaby's response to someone vomiting is usually to have hysterics, but thankfully yesterday she didn't.  Had to have a shower...you can probably guess why.

I got back to the lounge and was tucked in again, now with two blankets and two pillows as Ladybaby had chipped in with hers as well.  Chickabid got in the shower without being asked and dressed himself for school.  So did Ladybaby.

Next thing I can hear the microwave bipping.  Chickabid set the clock for 15 minutes and told me that he was just going to clean the kitchen for 15 minutes and then he'd be back.  I could hear him fussing around, filling the sink and washing the dishes!  He's only 7.  Ladybaby did a dishes-round## of her own accord - she's only 5.  They both collected their fruit and snack and were ready to pack their lunch bags.  Without being asked.  I was so very, very proud.

Mum and Dad came and finished off all the getting ready for school bits.  Dad cleaned the kitchen while Mum took the kids to school and then they all left me in peace on the lounge for the day.  It would have been bliss except for feeling so very ill.

Mum and Dad collected the kids after school and we packed their overnight bags.  The kids went off for a sleepover at Gran and Grandpa's.  Mister Bear got home at 6.30 and did the fastest ever clean of the loungeroom, including vacuuming cos Tuesday night is home group night at our house, and got some dinner for himself and dry toast for me.  The dry toast stayed put and I went to bed.  Slept for 10 hours and now I feel great.

I am so proud of the kids!!  They were kind and compassionate.  They were gentle and thoughtful.  They astounded me with their understanding and consideration for others.  I am proud to call them my son and daughter.

** blah - a state of no energy, no get-up-an-go, no puff; an inability to think, plan or organise.  Happens quite often.

## dishes-round - collecting up all the dishes from the house to load in the dishwasher.  This was Ladybaby's special job before she went to school and the thing she worried about most.  "Who will do the dishes-round when I'm at school?"  Ummm, me?  "You can't do a dishes-round!"  Oh, can't I indeed?? LOL